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It 'became a nightmare in a split second' – Geerike Schreurs recounts crash that left her in a helicopter on way to hospital rather than chasing the Gravel World Championships title

Geerike Schreurs, a rising star in gravel cycling, suffered a severe crash during the UCI Gravel World Championships that derailed her title ambitions. The Dutch rider, who had been leading the race and enjoying strong support from her Specialized Off-road team, took a hard fall in the final loop after her front wheel caught in a rut.

The incident left her with multiple fractures—including in her neck and spine—as well as a broken collarbone and ribs, requiring emergency surgery and a medical helicopter ride to the hospital in Perth. Schreurs, who had previously won an unofficial gravel title in Nebraska earlier this year, remains focused on recovery, planning to stay in Perth for weeks before returning to the Netherlands for further rehabilitation.

Her crash also involved Ashleigh Moolman Pasio of South Africa, who also fell in the same rut, shifting attention from the race to the riders’ well-being.

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